Salpa Pokhari: Holy Lake in the Mountains of Nepal

Salpa Pokhari: The Holy Lake of High Nepal

Long ago, in the ancient days of the warring kingdoms, a Rai king and queen did some early day trekking in the hills of what would one day become the country we now know as Nepal.

The queen, unfortunately, was suffering from a bit of mental sickness during the whole of the journey. With the source of her sickness unclear, the king grew concerned.

Miraculously, upon reaching the lake at Salpa Pokhari, she recovered… only to be promptly eaten by the giant serpent residing in the lake at a moment when the king’s back was turned. He never knew.

Fearing a return of her mental illness had lead her away from him, the king spent the rest of his weary days searching for his beloved wife. He made regular trips to the lake, yet never found his beloved..

The lake, at the top of the Bhanjyang Pass into the Solu Khumbu region, is still a pilgrimage site for several of the religions that inhabit the Nepalese hills. The Rai people, whose history defines the legend of the lake, even claim that to bathe in Salpa Pokhari is so holy that it obviates the need to make a pilgrimage to India’s Ganges River. Powerful water.

When I visited this area (late 2011, I believe), there were only the most basic guesthouses and noodle stalls in the area. If you intend to come here independently, make sure to pack some spare food and be prepared to have a bit of an adventure!

—– Hiking to Salpa Pokhari is one of the many trekking options on offer in Nepal. I visited independently, but seemed to be in the minority in doing so. If you’d rather take a guide, you can either arrange it in Kathmandu before your hike or online at sites like GetYourGuide.